Allied Warships

Destroyers

D class

10 ships


The destroyer HMS Duncan (D 99) of the Royal Navy.

Technical information

TypeDestroyer
Displacement1375 BRT 
Length329 feet 
Complement145 men 
Armament

4 4.7" guns (4x1)
2 2pdr AA (2x1)
8 21" torpedo tubes (2x4) 

Max speed36 knots
EnginesGeared turbines, 2 shafts 
Power36000 HP 
Notes on class

The specifications as listed above are for the 'normal' D-class destroyers. HMS Duncan was fitted as flotilla leader and had some different specifications;
Displacement: 1400 BRT
Complement: 175 men.

Despite the fact that the Admiralty recognised that the 'standard' British destroyer design looks very week, compared to the larger U.S., French and even Japanese destroyers, they decided to retain the 4.7" gun as main armament.

The D-class destroyers were repeat C-class destroyers with only minor modifications. 


All ships of the D class


Royal Canadian Navy Royal Canadian Navy (more on Royal Canadian Navy)

HMCS Kootenay (H 75)
HMCS Margaree (H 49) (ex. HMS Diana) Lost on 22 Oct 1940


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Dainty (H 53) Lost on 24 Feb 1941
HMS Daring (H 16) Lost on 18 Feb 1940
HMS Decoy (H 75) (Became the Canadian destroyer Kootenay)
HMS Defender (H 07) Lost on 11 Jul 1941
HMS Delight (H 38) Lost on 30 Jul 1940
HMS Diamond (H 22) Lost on 27 Apr 1941
HMS Diana (H 49) (Became the Canadian destroyer Margaree)
HMS Duchess (H 64) Lost on 12 Dec 1939

Flotilla leader


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Duncan (D 99)


10 Destroyers (11 names) of the D class. 7 of them were lost.

Full wartime service history on this vessel.

See all Destroyer classes.


D class ships hit by U-boats (1)

18 Feb 1940HMS DaringSunkU-23


The last stand of the tin can sailors

Hornfischer, James D.

Books dealing with this subject include:

200,000 Miles Aboard the Destroyer Cotten, Robinson, C. Snelling, 1999
A Home on the Rolling Main, A G F Ditcham, 2013
Afridi to Nizam – British Fleet Destroyers 1937 – 43, English, John, 2003
All the Gallant Men, Donald Stratton, 2016
Arctic Convoy PQ8, Michael Wadsworth, 2010
The Battle of Tassafaronga, Russell Syndnor Crenshaw, 2010
Battlestations, Veronico, Nicholas A., 2001
Blood on the Sea, Parkin, Robert Sinclair, 1996
A Blue Water Navy, WAB Douglas, R. Sarty, M. Whitby et al., 2007
British destroyers & frigates, Norman Friedman, 2006
British Destroyers 1892 to 1953, March, Edgar J, 2003
British Destroyers in World War Two, Burt, R.A., 1986
Cadillac of Destroyers, Barrie, Ron and Macpherson, Ken, 1996
Cape Hatteras, Lloyd, Keith Warren, 2008
The Captain Class Frigates in the Second World War, Collingwood, Donald, 1999



Return to the Allied Warships section